REPORT ON THE SCHOOL DEVELOPMENT GRANT PROJECT

OF ARANGUEZ GOVERNMENT SECONDARY SCHOOL

1.0 The Efficacy Institute of Waltham, Massachusetts is presently conducting an initiative at Aranguez Government Secondary School.  The Institute provides “on-going professional development to the school community consisting of consultation, training and on-sight coaching to help adults plan and execute concrete strategies to move their students to proficiency.”[1]

2.0 The Mission of the Institute is “Proficiency for All Children” and the minimum implementation period is eight days as follows:

• ½ day Needs Assessment
• 2 days Whole Faculty Training
• 2 days School Leadership Team Training
• ½ day Parent & Family Training
• 3 days Execution Support

3.0 The first four days of training took place from October 2-5, 2006.

Areas covered were

• ½ day Needs Assessment
• 1day Whole faculty Training
• 2 ½ days School Leadership Team training

4.0 The Needs Assessment utilized data collected from a series of questionnaires completed by each department on Psychology of Learning, Standards [Year end Targets], Data/Feedback/Strategy Methods, Assessment Tools. There was also Self Assessment Rubric for Leaders. (See copies attached.)

5.0 The School leadership Team (eighteen persons) consisted of the members of the school management team as well as heads of departments and subject coordinators. The topics and activities that we have engaged in so far include

• Pre Work
• Introduction
• Installing the Self-Directed Improvement System (SDIS)
• Establish and build consensus on Proficiency Targets
• Creating A Data Stream In Your School

6.0 Topics discussed in the whole faculty session include

• Introduction
• The Mission
• Mission Accomplished
• The Self-Directed Improvement System (SDIS)

This session was videotaped by the librarian and is available for viewing.

Copies of the Leadership Training Manual and the Whole Faculty Manual and attached.

What has been achieved so far

7.0 In the first phase, the Institute’s training has centered on the mission of proficiency for all children- confronting the question “Can we do it?”

8.0 Apart from the extremely interactive and enlightening sessions that we were engaged in over the four days, we now have a system that we can apply to solve problems effectively. From the list of ‘Priority issues’ that the staff raised at the whole faculty session, we have begun to use the SDIS for the item that was considered to be most urgent-“to eradicate breaking classes by students and teachers”.

9.0 Our findings so far have led to limited improvements in the areas that we are measuring but our training is not complete and we are anxiously awaiting the return of our presenter so that she can coach us through the process to achieving our target.

What remains to be done

10.0 The second phase teaches a practical, powerful operational approach to analyzing student data as a basis for more effective instructional strategies.

11.0 The Institute has to continue to train the school leadership team to manage execution, leading a relentless school-wide focus on results. Training is also provided to manage human reactions to change.

12.0 Although the Leadership team has had some insight into the use of the SDIS, training is still required in

• The use of the D/F/S/ Toolkit for subject Area teacher-teams
• Building a Data Stream (series of half-term and in-class assessments) to frequently monitor progress towards year-end targets.
• Identifying and building consensus on Proficiency targets that describe what students must know and be able to do, in each subject area at each form level
• Managing and facilitating a disciplined, collaborative analysis of student performance data- bi-weekly meetings in which teachers identify opportunities for improvement, and in partnership, devise and share strategies for accelerating student achievement

13.0 The whole faculty has the following outstanding areas of training:

• Practices: Do They Debilitate or Mobilize Effort?
• The Story of Two Paradigms (and How They Control Our Practices)
• The Self-Directed Improvement System Operating Principles
• Using a Team Approach to Achieve the Mission
• Implementing the Data/ Feedback/Strategy method
• Working as Effective teams
• Executing the SDIS: The other Requirements

Teachers will learn how to

• Evaluate their own practices to ensure consistent alignment with the belief that intelligence is built through the action of Effective Effort (The Efficacy Paradigm).
• Integrate activities in the areas of Standards, assessments, curriculum and instruction to achieve dramatic improvement for every child, including how to analyse and make meaning of student performance data to drive instructional strategies

14.0 Parent & family training provides the parents with tools that enable them to become active partners in the child’s education. This is yet to come.

The way forward

15.0 In order to achieve all of the above it is imperative that the training be continued as quickly as possible, so that we do not continue to lose the momentum from the initial phase.

16.0 New dates should be set for the second phase to begin during the first week of the second term January 3 – 5, 2007.  This would minimise mid-term interruptions.

Training to be done:

• ½ day parents & family training
• ½ day  Leadership team training
• 1 day Whole faculty training
• I day Execution support

17.0 In closing, a quote from the Proposal to Aranguez Government Secondary on Execution for results On –Site Technical Assistance-

“Our primary focus.  Efficacy consultants provide on-site technical assistance to direct school-wide execution of concrete strategies that accelerate student achievement, including:

§          Developing, clear Proficiency Targets for each subject, at each grade level

§          Building a series of aligned quarterly, and in-class assessments to monitor progress toward the Targets

§          Facilitating disciplined, collaborative analysis of student data to drive strategies to accelerate achievement

In addition, execution support addresses the questions, concerns and issues that may arise in a school building, managing any resistance to change and mobilizing adults toward the Mission:  Proficiency for All Children.

In summary, the Efficacy Single School Initiative is a solution to mobilize school-wide change that yields dramatic improvement in student achievement.”

18.0 This is the third and most important phase of the project. In the month of March or April (or at a time to be determined), two days of Technical Assistance are guaranteed to us. More support is available on request.